


The Legend of Zelda: The Boy in the Sands

by Budderfire



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Good Ganondorf, Multi, Out of Character, Post-Breath of the Wild, Reincarnation, Somewhat, plot twists you can see a mile away, the king is a jerk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-01-15 06:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18493675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Budderfire/pseuds/Budderfire
Summary: All I wanted was to be free.Free to wander the world. There's so much out there, so much to see, so much to do. But I'm trapped here, in a gilded cage. I scrabble at my throat, begging for something cleaner than wines and sweet, honeyed drinks. I want real, I want pure, I don't want fabrications anymore.My knight stares at me, eyes hooded over slightly as he fights to stay awake.Protect the princess. Always save her from danger. But does he do it of his own will? Of his own dreams?The master sword hums with energy, though we are the only two who can hear it."Princess?""Yes?""Are you..." He yawns, trying to stifle it. "Are you going to sleep, yet?"I nod, placing my journal back in it's drawer. That can be left behind. It's just mindless writing, something that I never put my heart or soul into.Tonight, I leave.





	1. Prince of the Sands

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the world where no fanfics are updated because i'm way too scatterbrained.

If I manage to get out this desert and have to return one day, it will be too soon. My throat has spawned it’s own desert. The sun is a gigantic torch of unadulterated pain, and no matter how much of my body I cover with my shield, I can still feel the heat on my skin. Even in the shade of a rare, small cloud, it’s a nice, mild temperature of burning hellfire. Heat waves ripple on the horizon, and I’m hoping that the oasis in the distance is not just a mirage. It’s probably a mirage at this point. This desert is so hot, my sword is probably going to come alive and ask me to rip open a cactus so it can have a drink. And like the dehydrated idiot I am, I’ll probably do it. Why did I have to wear my heavy clothes? Everything’s been shoved haphazardly into my bag, and even in only my tunic and undergarments, I still feel like I’m going to crash into the unforgiving, hellish hot sand any minute.

  
Honestly, I’m just glad I didn’t subject my horse to this nonsense. She probably would have kicked me by now and run back to the safety of Gerudo Valley, and would not come back. Not even for one of my conserved endura carrots. As obvious, Fairy has no tolerance for heat. Being one of Hyrule’s many fancy steeds, I imagine she would have turned her head up at my attempt to lead her to the desert, saying “Are you serious, you blundering fool? I am a royal horse, not a camel.”

  
However, I wish she was here, because this entire trek through the Gerudo desert would be going much faster, and my feet wouldn’t have all kinds of burns on them from the hot sand. I removed my boots a long time ago when I realized how much sand was getting in them. Plus, they just made my feet feel as though they were cooking.

  
I hate to imagine Lanayru region having this much heat. On top of all the humidity of the wetlands, this kind of dry heat would simply just make them even more unbearable. Maybe that’s why instead of going east towards the Domain, I opted for somewhere a bit drier and less likely to get me soaking wet. Though at this point in the game, I’d prefer somewhere nice and cold, with tons of freshwater and endless cloud cover. Hebra. I want the Hebra mountains. But I’ve made my bed, so I guess I’ll have to sleep in it.

  
The shifting of the sands and wind blowing harsh in gusts rings in my ears. I have to keep closing and covering my eyes as not to get sand in them. I’ve seen many of what the locals call “sand seals”, and I’m tempted to just grab one and hang on for dear life so I can get out of the desert and all the way to the oasis that I can’t tell is real or not. At least it’s shimmering with the rest of the heat, so that’s a good sign. I think. I keep pressing on, still shielding my body from the all-encompassing enemy, the sun.

  
I’m going to shear off all my hair the minute I get somewhere that I can do it. It’s sticking to my forehead, the back of my neck, and anywhere else it can reach where there’s sweat. Even though I love him so, screw my father for making me grow it out.

  
In the distance, however, I can hear something strange. It might be my water-deprived mind, but I can hear yelling and yipping coming from the horizon. And then I finally pick it up. The barking of sand seals comes rapidly approaching, alongside the sound of a horn and people shouting. I look up, and I’m pretty sure the desert’s playing another trick on me.

  
A huge group of Gerudo hunters are bearing down the dune, all being pulled along by sand seals, all having bows drawn or spears in hand. At the head of the group is a tall, burly man pointing his spear dead ahead. He turns to shout another order, but then in turning, he sees me. He yanks back on the reins of the seal, and the group stops their pursuit of their quarry. In that moment, my body decides that this whole desert trekking thing is not in it’s job description, and I fall right over.  
When I open my eyes again, the group of women and this man are surrounding me, all of them asking questions and trying to get me to open my eyes. The man cuts through the group, and quickly sits me up by yanking on my arm.

  
“Drink.” He passes me a water skin, the bejeweled stopper already in his hand. I down the whole thing like I haven’t had water in days (though it’s really only been a few hours), and a few minutes later of chugging, I wipe my mouth and take deep breaths.

  
“Are you alright now? No wounds-” One of the women starts, then stops when she sees what must be wicked sunburns and possibly the burns on the soles of my feet. “Oh sweet Din, look at him.”

  
“How long have you been out here, little voe?”

  
I take another deep breath, and I know just how rusty my voice sounds when I say “Five hours.”

  
“Five hours? Good Din, how are you not dead yet?” Another pipes up, passing me another water skin.

  
“Drank...Drank all my water already.” I chug this one too, already feeling much cooler and way more hydrated.

  
“Ladies, do we vote?”

  
“I think it’s unanimous. Here, you’ll ride one of us, and we’ll get you to the Oasis. I’m certain you can find an elixir there to stave off the heat.”

  
“No.”

  
They all whip their heads around, and I nearly get whacked in the face with hair. The man with them, a tall and burly fellow who I can only assume is Gerudo like the rest of them, is standing by the seals, a strange look on his face that I can’t read.

  
“We’ll take him back to Gerudo town. In aiding him, we are obliged by law of honor to take him back with us and heal him. The Oasis has no such healers as we do. Besides, look at those burns. They are second-degree at best, and possibly cooking him at worst. Besides, that dehydration seems more serious than it looks. He’ll need food as well, something to replace all the stuff he sweat out.”

  
“But Ganon, you know the rule-”

  
“I know it well, Ishar, but certain things are exceptions to rule. Anyone in need of immediate aid should come back with us. We can hunt sand seals later. Besides, the Oasis is a tourist trap, not somewhere that people live day-in and day-out. I doubt anyone will be as kind as us.”

  
“If you think Yusha won’t freak…”

  
“She’ll be fine. Come now, hylian. You need some rest.”

  
On the sand seal, where I’ve been tied and saddled onto, the wind whips against my face. However, instead of sand blowing on my eyes, it’s a pleasantly cool breeze that dries most of the sweat on my face. My belongings are on someone else now, and another of the women gave me a cloak so my burns wouldn’t agitate further. It’s a comfy ride, and soon we arrive the gate to Gerudo town. Two women guards stand outside, holding spears upright and watching as women enter and leave the entrance. It’s a big, sprawling walled city, and I can see new additions and scaffolding on many parts from where I sit.

  
“Welcome back. Did you catch anything today?” One of them says to the man, a hint of amusement in her voice.

  
“We caught a hylian.” He says, deadpan. The woman laughs, shaking her head.

  
“Don’t sound so serious, Ganon. But you better know what you’re doing with that voe right there. You know that you’re the only one under law allowed in the city.”  
“Under the Rijua Law…”

  
“Oh, that one. I guess I can allow it…” She murmured to her partner, and the lady went back at ease with her spear. “Though, you might go around to the royalty entrance. Less likely to cause a stir there.”

  
“Right, thank you Reshka.”

  
“No problem. But hurry up, you’re drawing stares.”

  
With a spur to his seal, we were gliding away from the entrance, slowly moving around the outer walls. They looked like butter, though the small sparkles where the sun hit were enough to disprove the idea that they were any kind of food. I almost reached out to touch it, maybe to test the theory, but even at the slow speed we were going, dragging my hand on the wall might scrape it. So the idea was scrapped.

  
Eventually, we pulled up around what must have been the back of the city. A fair few more guards were around, some upon the walls, and four standing by the entrance.  
“Welcome back, prince.” The woman on the front right bowed slightly, but at the sight of me seemed to lose some color. “Uh… Ganon, you do realize-”

  
“Yes, I know that there’s a voe with my party. Rijua law.”

  
“Oh… well, alright. Come inside, we’ll take care of the seals and whatever else you’ve managed to catch.”

  
“Thank you.” With that, he passed the reins to one of the guards, and disappeared from sight while one of the girls in his party helped me get untied.  
“Okay, there you go! Ah, don’t get off! The sand might be cooler here, but you’ll hurt your feet further. One, two, three!” She picked me up, then seemed lost in thought for a second. “I really should have put you on my back.”

  
“Pass him to me, Aisha. I’ll carry him.” Another woman came over, turning around and holding her arms out behind herself.

  
“Oh thank Din. I’m such a beanpole.”

  
“Hey, you have muscles. Just not bulky ones.”

  
“Right…”

  
And so that’s how I ended up entering the famous one-thousand windows castle on someone’s back. The infirmary was the first stop, and even though a few of the nurses were surprised, the head one merely nodded and sat me to a bed where I could rest. I was slathered in burn-healing gel, my feet were bandaged thoroughly, and a cooling elixir was shoved into my hands.

  
“Drink it, it will stop the dehydration and overheating.” With that, the head nurse took her seat again, as the other nurses took to their busy work. Every so often, one of the women in their beds would stir, and a nurse would attend to her. It was a peaceful place, smelling of both a doctor and a healer’s home at once. It had the clean scent, but also a mix of spices and potpourri. The walls were decorated with many anatomy scrolls and a Gerudo painting or two. I could hear bustling from the upstairs, though no footsteps. Somewhere there was the sound of water running. Possibly an aqueduct. I guess those walls have to do something other than protect their people.

  
“Excuse me, is the hylian here?”

  
The head nurse nodded, and a young woman entered the room.

  
“Natalie, make sure you sign him out first.”

  
“Right, understood.” She took the scroll from the woman’s hand, signing it quickly and coming over to my bed.

  
“What is your name, hylian?”

  
“Uhm… Zai. My name is Zai.”

  
“Zai! That is a nice name… though it doesn’t sound very hylian…”

  
“Natalie doesn’t sound very Gerudo.”

  
“It’s a nickname. I can possibly assume the same for you?”

  
“Yes.”

  
“Well, I guess we’re the nickname squad now!” She slung an arm over my shoulders, a small smirk on her face. I could smell some of the oils she wore, from her position around me. Something nice, a stronger, sweeter version of the potpourri.

  
“Nickname squad…”

  
“Well, we should get out of here. You got a date with our chieftess, isn’t that nice?”

  
“A date?”

  
“A meeting. We have to decide what we’re doing with you, and if you’re staying, we have to take a look at your morality.” She helped me up, leaning me against her shoulder and generally encouraging me to lean on her for support. “Can’t have just any voe in here, right? Only a select few are allowed in at any time.”

  
“What does ‘voe’ mean?”

  
“Man, in hylian language. We sprinkle in our own words, where they feel natural. Context is fairly important in our language. I believe the word was chosen because voe can also mean ‘strength’ or ‘cactus’. Makes a bit of sense, as the wielder of the triforce of strength is always a Gerudo voe.”

  
“Right.”

  
“You aren’t much for words, are you?”

  
“I don’t speak many words, but they fill space with their intensity.”

  
“Ooo, we have a poet now, do we?”

  
“I write. I restrict my words to the page.”

  
“Any chance you wear a green cap?”

  
“I’m afraid that I’m not the hero of legend, Natalie.”

  
“The hero would be called Link, but I had to check. Do you favor the sword or the bow?”

  
“Bow. Every time.”

  
“As do I. I am a marksman with bomb arrows.”

  
“That is like saying you are a fisherman that drains the sea.”

  
“Oh come off your high horse, boy. Bomb arrows are our speciality.”

  
“As is taming to hylians, but you do not see us calling ourselves master tamers.”

  
“Have I offended you?”

  
“No, not at all. But pride is something I do not honor.”

  
“A little showing off never killed anyone.”

  
“It hurts many.”

  
“Only when you try to prove it, which I will not.”

  
Coming up to a staircase, we begin our ascent up the spiral. I did not know how far up we had to go, but it was much less than I thought. Thank goodness, as my feet had begun to hurt after stepping on all the hard stone. We came up to what appeared to be a meeting hall, bustling with people chattering and whispering. Near the center chair sat the man from earlier, having a quiet conversation with the lady beside him. When I entered the room, his eyes flicked to me, then back to the woman. For a second. Then, as if doing a double take, he looks back. This man, Ganon, clears his throat, and the room quiets down.

  
“As you all know, we have called this meeting to deal with the voe who has been brought for refuge. We begin this meeting now, so please simmer down. I will turn this over to my mother, as I trust her wise judgement in these matters.”

  
“Thank you, Ganon. Hylian, hear me speak. I am Yusha, chieftess of the Gerudo, the ruler of Gerudo City, and slayer of the King of Moldugas. You have come seeking our help, as no random hylian tries to cross the desert without elixir nor the proper clothing to do so.”

  
“Your help would be greatly appreciated, your Majesty.” The honorific rolls easily off my tongue, after years of my practice and conditioning. “I am honored to be here in your care.”

  
“My, a noble boy? What are you doing out here, child?”

  
“I was travelling.”

  
“That does not say much. Please, be frank with me. Who knows, I might be able to help.”

  
She leaned over with an air of carelessness, relaxed and lanky like a cat. Her hair is not pulled back in a severe bun like the elders, instead flowing over her shoulders. She’s kissed by the desert sun, though long, white scars flow down her shoulders and shimmer over her forehead. If she could get away with it, I’d bet my life’s worth in rupees that she’d have her feet propped up on the table.

  
“Okay, fine. I’m a runaway.”

  
“A runaway, hm? And your reason for running off?”

  
“Is it that important?”

  
“I am a curious soul.”

  
“My parents were forcing me to do something I did not want to do.”

  
“Isn’t that what it always is?”

  
“Maybe.”

  
She smirked, propping up her chin with her hand. “You’re quite interesting, hylian. Have you ever committed a crime?”

  
“Only in my father’s eyes, it seems.”

  
“Mm… Well, most children of noble stock are trustworthy. We’ll start with two weeks, and I’ll see how far I can trust you, hylian. Praytell, your name?”

  
“Zai. My name is Zai.”

  
“Interesting name. The rest of the council may ask their questions now. I will issue my final stay duration after I hear your answers.”

  
Before they could open their mouths, she said one last thing. “Oh, and do hope that I can trust you as far as I can throw you. I was once able to throw my son all the way from the top of the palace to the front gate. A hylian like you should be a no-sweat workout.”

  
“Just don’t throw him at a molduga, mother.”

  
“Certainly not.”

  
\---

  
One long interrogation later, I’m stumbling down the stairs again, led by Natalie to wherever I’m sleeping for the night. Though my stay duration will be decided soon, there’s still a pit of fear in my stomach that says I won’t be allowed to stay. After all, from what Natalie’s told me, voe aren’t usually allowed in Gerudo Town. But a small inkling of hope lies in that other guy, Ganon. If he’s allowed in, then maybe there’s some hope for me.  
“Stop worrying so much. You’re going to get wrinkles.”

  
“Huh? Oh, sorry… um…”

  
“No, it’s okay. Rupee for your thoughts?”

  
“I think they cost a little more than a rupee, Nat.”

  
She chuckles, quietly fiddling with the bowstring of her now drawn bow. “Okay, two rupees.”

  
“Deal.”

  
“So, what’s on your mind?”

  
“Just some worrying, I guess. Nothing major, not really.” I say, lying through my teeth. “I don’t worry about too much…”

  
“Well, that’s good to know. Worry isn’t a good thing, but in small doses…” She puts the bow back, now messing with her quiver of arrows. “It’s like goron spice. Too much of it makes something taste painful, but it can add a nice dash of flavor in a small dose.”

  
This palace is strangely beautiful, so different from Hyrule Castle. I remember that place being drafty, always having to pile on layers even when inside. But here, the sand is kept out by screens, letting the cool air rush through to flush out the heat. And though it isn’t as bad as the Lanayru region, the coolness is much appreciated over the oppressive firestorm outside.

  
Someone should remind me never to go to Death Mountain. Fairly certain I’d become fried Zai.

  
“You’re doing it again. You didn’t even notice that we’re here already.”

  
“Huh? Ah! Sorry!”

  
“It’s alright. But seriously, all that introspection can not be good for your health.”  
“I… well… um…”

  
“Here, these clothes should keep the heat off of you. Just make sure to slather yourself in sunscreen and you’ll probably live.” It’s a nice set, silky when dropped into my hands and I have to scramble to keep it in my arms. “It’s been such a long time since we’ve had to go scouring for another set of the voe armor. But hey, we can’t let you go out there again looking like you’re about to melt.” She laughs heartily, pats me gently on the back, and makes her exit.

  
When I open the door, another gust of cool air greets me. The room has a screen, just like the others, taking up most of the back wall. Almost everything is made out of sandstone, and each piece glitters under torch and candle light. The blanket has the same silky feel to it as the clothing. From where the clothes sit on the bed, I can see a sparkle of gold.

  
After blowing out all the torches and most of the candles, I find myself lying in bed, still wide awake. Thoughts bounce around my head, most of them deal with worry, a few with relief, and one ever-present thought that keeps bouncing back up to the surface.

  
My dad is probably going to kill me for this.

  
The next morning, after spending about an hour trying to figure out this ‘voe armor’, I am startled from my wrestling with the shoes by a very loud knocking at the door.

Throwing the blanket over my very failed attempt at getting dressed to impress, I swing open the door to find a stone statue. Well, not literally. But it might be the most accurate way to describe Ganon’s face right about now.

  
“Uh… hi.”

  
“Sav’otta. Breakfast is going to be ready soon, and I’ve been sent to accompany you. Did you just wake up?”

  
“Um…” It’s as if someone threw a shield at me and said ‘think fast!’. As if I didn’t have enough of that in my childhood. “...No?”

  
“If the room is too cold, I can teach you how to use the screen.”

  
“No, no, it’s just…” The slippery, treacherous blanket slips from one of my hands, revealing my very shoddy handiwork. “Well, crap.” I’ll bet he’s judging me right now. I mean, what idiot can’t put on clothes? He’ll probably think I’m either stupid or shameless. Oh Hylia, I’m probably turning red right now. Probably turning into a puddle of stupid as I think-

  
“Trouble with figuring it out?” He slowly moves the rest of the blanket away, analyzing my likely numerous mistakes. “Many of the vai who visit have the same problem with traditional clothing. It’s complicated, but like riding a sand seal. Once you get it right, you never really struggle again. I can teach you, if you’d allow me to.”

  
“Uh… I… well… please help.”

  
“Certainly.” He brushes by as I leap out of his way, and Ganon looks around the room before turning back to me. “You’ve made this place quite the home in one night.”

  
“Sorry.”

  
“No, it’s a good thing. They’ve given me the news of your duration, and though my mother told me not to tell you just yet… Can you act surprised when they tell you?”  
“If you tell me first, maybe.”

  
He rolls that idea over in his head, eyes drifting for a distraction. “Well, you’ve been cleared to stay for as long as you need to recuperate, and maybe longer than that if you have a significant case to stay even more so.” As he begins talking, Ganon assesses my poor attempt at the straps, belt, and paldron. Without a word, he fixes it, with almost a perfect sense of the tightness needed for each part of the outfit. “You seem to be a refugee, and if I’m being frank, mother seems to like you. Just a few points to the case, though she doesn’t always have final say.”

  
“That means…?”

  
“You’ll be here for a while if it’s what you chose.” He yanks hard on the paldron strap, lifting the arm it’s on to make sure the movement is obstructed. “Personally, it doesn’t matter much to me, but it might be nice to have another voe here.”

  
“You say a lot.”

  
“I think a lot, too. My mother taught me from a young age not to keep things secret. She wanted me to trust her fully, as she’d been forced into silence as young girl. But I’m her precious vehvi, and she loves words to death, especially my own.”

  
“Sounds like a nice life.”

  
“It is. Yours is not?”

  
“I… no, it’s fine. I mean, being a nobleman is cushy, right?”

  
“Then why run away from home?”

  
Something stings under my eyes, and my mouth won’t move anymore. A small memory bubbles up, one of my mother. Her fair blond hair and soft eyes are still fresh in my mind, though my loss was many years ago.

  
_“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” I can’t reply. Words feel stuck in my throat. I can’t tell her about the boys throwing stuff at me, their awful jabs and cruel words still causing tears to bloom from my eyes. But this is mother, and unlike father, I can always trust her, can’t I?_

  
_“I… Mister Eyelops’s kids…”_

  
_“Did they hurt you?” She grabs me by the shoulders, head tilting this way and that to try and find the damage. Her eyes are blue ice, but blaze like fire._

  
_“No… I ran away from them.”_

  
_“Good. You aren’t lying to me, are you?” She runs a hand down the back of my head and over my neck. “I just don’t want you to be in pain, dear.”_

  
_“A rock hit me on the ankle… But it doesn’t hurt much.”_

  
_“Let me see.” She sits me on her lap, rolling down the sock. Her finger prods the small bruise, and a hiss wells up from my chest. Instead of chewing me out, she simply rolls my sock back up, then pulls me into a hug._

  
_“Sweetheart, you should never hide things that hurt from me. I want you to be happy, not in pain or sadness.”_

  
_“But Daddy… he…”_

  
_“I know, baby, I know. But your father, although misguided, loves you very much.”_

  
_When I look up, her lower lip trembles slightly, though her eyes are still a blue fire._

  
“Nothing… I was just… bored.” Lying is painful. Maybe that’s why mother never wanted me to do it. When I look up, Ganon doesn’t appear convinced, but has finished fixing my outfit.

  
“I see. Well then, let’s go get breakfast.”

  
\---

  
Breakfast turns out to be one of the most delicious gifts Hylia has ever blessed the world with. Volfruit is sliced up and chilled in bowls surrounded by ice, hearty durians lay cracked open, ready for the caramel-like insides to be scooped out. Chicken and beef lie sliced up raw, ready to be simmered on the grill on top of the table. My mouth is already watering at the sight, and by my side, Ganon gives a hearty chuckle.

  
“I don’t really know what hylians have for breakfast, but everyone has to break out of their comfort zone eventually, right?”

  
“Do you have any eggs?”

  
More of the council from yesterday flows into the room, taking seats and taking food. I’m already seated near the head of the table, right next to Ganon. Speaking of him, he’s trying to stack an entire plate with the meat, though instead of just yanking the entire platter, he takes the time to cook each piece. Mostly I’m just stuck flipping my egg until the thing is sunny-side up. I’m fairly tempted to make an omelet, but there isn’t a vegetable in sight.

  
Yusha eventually shows up at the head of the table, though without much fanfare. She dives for a durian, and though I won’t even dare to touch it (it smells awful), she offers me a small piece after scooping out the buttery fruit.

  
“Here, have some. It tastes much better than it smells.” I oblige, taking a very hesitant bite. The taste is somewhat bittersweet, but the texture is smooth, like peanut butter.  
“Wow!”

  
“I know, right? Most of the travelers stay away from durian because of the stench, but it’s one of the hidden treasures you can find here. Just don’t let her give you the numbing flavor durian. She tricked me into eating one when I was six.”

  
“I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.”

  
People chatter incessantly, sharing plates and placing arms on shoulders. The place is convivial, so different than home. Home was sterile, quiet, and impersonal. But this palace is so full of people, never feeling empty or silent. One of the women next to me passes a plate of bacon, and I take a piece off before she says to take as many as I want. Maybe it’s because servings were more restricted back at home, but I almost clear the plate of bacon. When I pass the plate to Ganon, he either looks at me with shock or frank admiration.

  
“What?”

  
“Could have saved some for me, maybe.”

  
“Sorry.”

  
“No, don’t apologize. You’re probably hungry, missing dinner last night. I’ll make sure someone comes to get you when it’s time to eat.”

  
“Oh, I missed dinner?”

  
“Sorry.”

  
“It’s fine. Didn’t even notice.”

  
“No, it’s not fine. I mean look at you! You might be a hylian, but you’re skinny as a twig!”

  
“No need to remind me.” Ouch. Now that’s a sore subject.

  
“Oh… uh…” He rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

  
“You’re fine. Oh, here’s the next plate of bacon.” I pass it along, the plate is almost cleared once again, this time by Ganon.

  
“So, what do you want to do today?”

  
“Not sure, exactly. I’d like to go out in the city, but my feet might still be healing.”

  
“If you could walk down here this morning, you’re probably healthy enough to go into the city. Besides, there’s much to see, and much more to do.”

  
As people push away from the table, going off to do their work or have fun, we go through the front entrance, slowly down the steps of the palace. In the morning sunlight, the walls of the city glint golden, and any heat from the desert is minimal with water fountains and aqueducts everywhere you look. There’s maybe a hundred people in the front square, bustling between stands and stores.

  
“Ready?”

  
“Let’s do this.” And with that, I rush down the stairs, diving into the crowd.


	2. A Self-Made Barrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you believe in fairies?" I ask him, fiddling with my hairbrush. It's a quiet moment in the evening, as I prepare for bed.  
> "I grew up with them."  
> "You did, now?" Bah, that's a lie if I ever heard one. "I'm not a child, you know."  
> "I know you're not, princess. But in the Korok Forest..."  
> "Ah, I see now. Did you ever see the God of the Mountain?"  
> "That being is on a mountain, princess." Though when I turn to him, he's not upset. Instead, he appears on the verge of laughter.  
> "Hey! Don't you-" But he breaks into laughter, smile split across his face.  
>  When he does that, it makes his eyes look just like the sky above.

After hours of wandering the great Gerudo Bazaar, I’m laden down with clothing, sweets, probably half of the luxury items you can find in the markets, one or two shiny antiques, and a very adorable sand seal pup. Though Ganon is carrying the bulk of my purchases, I’m still having trouble seeing around my pile of things. He has that look of frank admiration on his face again, sand seal currently snoozing on top of his head.

“So?”

“So what?”

  
“So how do you have enough rupees to even buy all of this?”

  
“I was a noble, Ganon. Any child who doesn’t think to take some money from the family treasury before going off into the sunset isn’t smart enough to be running away at all.” I adjust the spear leaning on my shoulder, turning to look him in the eye. “Besides, all of this together was just about three-thousand rupees. I still have plenty more.”

  
“... Well, I can’t fault you for that. Maybe a little bit, though. Stealing isn’t exactly moral, but…”

  
“If you knew the circumstances, you might feel a little sympathy.”

  
“Why not tell me the circumstances, then?”

  
My body freezes up, a chill running down my spine even in the hot weather. Memories flash up, there for a second then gone. Could I even trust him? Doubtful. Trust is a commodity for me, one that’s expensive and hard to come by. I couldn’t even trust… I couldn’t… well, it’s in the past now, and I know better. Getting hurt is something I can’t afford. It costs much more than three-thousand rupees.

  
“Afraid not. You’ll just have to settle for me being the mysterious type.”

 

“That’s a shame. But not a problem. Lots of people keep secrets, it’s no bother.”

  
“You’re just way too accommodating.” I mutter to myself. He chuckles, pulling another box off the top of my stack.

  
“We like to call it ‘being nice’.” Though as he says that, a small look of concern flits across his face. “Are people not like that in Hyrule?”

  
“Sometimes.”

  
“Sometimes good or sometimes bad?”

  
“Sometimes good. It’s rare to find someone purely kind-hearted back home.”

  
“That doesn’t sound very nice.”

  
“Why do you think I ran away, then?” Once again, the speak is slipping. Instead of having to shift my shoulder back up, Ganon pulls it from the pile and adds it to his stack.

  
“A fair point. But what about your family? They must be worried.”

  
“Let him be worried, then.” I grumble, looking away and trying not to meet his eyes. “Not like he ever was.”

  
“Your father?”

  
“Indifferent to me. Wanted a daughter. I’m no daughter.”

  
“Strange. Hylian society is patriarchal, so wouldn’t he want a son?”

  
“My family is quite different than yours.” The door is opened with a kick of my foot, and I make a beeline to set everything down on the desk. Ganon carefully sets the pile on the floor, sorting through it and putting things where they could possibly go. The sand seal pup jumps from his head, snuggling up onto the bed.

  
“Cute.”

  
“I know, right? I think I made a good decision, personally. Though, I might need help.”

  
“Do you have a name for her?”

  
“I know a very old one… I think it was Naboris?”

  
“Nabooru. That was the original name. A good name, however. As some Gerudo legend goes, Nabooru was an ally of the Legendary Hero a long, long time ago. One of the ancient Seven Sages. But that time has long past. It’s good remember history, Zai.”

  
“Well, I was taught fairly well.”

  
“Being a child of a noble?” He gives a look, more telling than asking, and a laugh bubbles up, deep from somewhere I thought laughter no longer existed. Panic flashes across his face for a moment, before Ganon realizes that I’m joyful, not sad. Maybe it was my lack of smiling that irked him beforehand, but sometimes it’s the small things that make you happy.

  
Eventually, I snap back into rigid composure, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’ve been-”

  
“You should smile more. It makes your eyes look heavenly.”

  
Time slows to a crawl, as I turn to meet his own. For so long, how long has it been? I have rarely smiled or laughed. Always sent to pray before the springs, to study hard on the mythos of Hyrule, to be the perfect child. No time for cheer or friendship, only alliances and moments of vulnerability in my room. And even those were lost when I turned sixteen. How long has it been since someone’s complimented me on something that is my own? I never possessed the charisma my father had or the innate cleverness of my mother. Something that is never changing, never maintained… I remember mother telling me that I am beautiful, and when she passed it was like the beauty she saw had gone with her. And oh, the things we work for are more honorable as compliments than what we are born with, but I never wanted to work for obscure knowledge. I never wanted to work for perfect manners. I just wanted to be myself. Free to read books in the library, free to draw, free to go wherever I pleased.

  
His cheeks are blooming a dark shade of red, a hand clamped over his mouth. Yes, the Gerudo are open with emotions, with thoughts, with feelings. So different from us hylians. Then again, I know which one I prefer. Openness has its problems, but nothing is better than the warmth in my chest. Kindness was a rarity at home, but here it grows in reckless abandon, as common as volfruit on the cacti. And it’s just as sweet, just as delicious to me. But kindness to me is more like a durian, sweet, but with an undertone of bitterness. I can never fully trust anyone, no matter how hard I try. But maybe there’s some trust to be had in Ganon.

  
“That’s… awfully kind of you.”

  
Before I can say another word, he bolts from the room, slamming the door behind him. The speed is so fast that my head spins, and I’m left to care for a small sand seal and a pile of mostly impulse purchases.

  
Later that night, when I lay on my bed, trying to fall asleep, I think of those words. Though I know what I am, I still can’t help but feel some kind of appreciation for Ganon. Maybe we’ll become friends. My first friend… The thought is comforting. More so than my blankets, pillow, or sand seal currently snuggling under my arm. A friend would be a luxury I could never afford trust to. But maybe I’ve been doing it wrong, placing all my trust in one person. One person I cannot seem to forget, no matter how hard I try.

  
Wide eyes.

  
Open mouth.

  
The sound of alarms tolling in the distance.

  
An outstretched hand, calling me back.

  
“Please, don’t do this! You can still-”

  
My eyelids grow heavier and heavier, harder to keep open. With some great relief, I close them and everything drifts away.

  
\---

  
For a few days, I’m mostly trying out my new purchases and wandering Gerudo Town in the evenings. One or two people give me odd looks, but the royal guard is informed of my staying and it definitely spread through all ranks. One could say I was avoiding Ganon, but I see nothing wrong with compliments. Then again, he didn’t keep up his minor chatter, lapsing into silence. But that’s no fault of mine. I think so, at least.

  
However, there is more to explore in the palace than the town, and there is quite fewer people to run into or frighten. The third floor is by invitation only, the private apartments of the royal family, but everything else is free to visit for the guests. I spend days sifting through scrolls wherever I can, one of the nurses coming to fetch me ever so often for a bandage changing.

  
The Palace of a Thousand Windows truly has a thousand windows, according to a scroll in the library, and though my feet would hurt if I went around and counted them all, one of the elders there tells me that it’s true. Apparently, when Ms Kashi was young, she went around the entire palace to count them. She’s also skilled in caring for sand seals, and I once again make a polite acquaintance with someone. I’ll spend my days in the library, maybe sneaking in a hydromelon and getting kicked out by a laughing librarian.

  
However, the avoiding and sorts can’t go on forever, and eventually I turn to hunting for Ganon. Anxiety bubbles up, whispering things like “maybe he’s bored of you”, “you must have offended him somehow”, or the worst “he probably never liked you to begin with”. But I can shake these dark clouds from my head easily. It’s not the first time they’ve decided to swell up. I don’t even understand why he was embarrassed.

  
After a day of almost turning the place upside down, I find a study on the second floor, close to the stairs leading to the royal family’s apartments. The door is open, unlike the other days, and loud shouting rings from the room.

  
“We can’t just allow these hylian guards to search our city! We make exceptions for refugees, but not invaders!”

  
“They will invade regardless! We have the choice to comply in their search or we will be over run, just like the last time!”

  
“Comply? Compromise? What do we do next, just let them rule the gerudo for us?”

  
“I’m saying that they outnumber us, and invasion is a given!”

  
“They outnumber us in men, but not in skill! Keep them barred from the Oasis and town, and they’ll cook themselves alive.”

  
“That’s much too cruel!”

 

“Cruelty does not matter in an invasion. Our city belongs to us, and we chose who enters!”

  
“Ganondorf Dragmire, I swear upon the entirety of Din’s desert-!”

  
The shouting match switched to Gerudo, and though I could only understand one or two words, the gist was most certainly whatever this invasion was. Hylians. Hylian soldiers, possibly knights.

  
They’re coming for me.

  
Before any more can be said, I’m bolting away like a frightened deer, tripping on my feet and almost falling over myself and the stairs. It feels like hours, running and running, when it really is only minutes. But it really is hours until someone comes looking for me.

  
“Well, that’s odd. A pile of scrolls, but you aren’t reading any?”

  
I can’t reply. My throat is stuffed with cotton balls, my eyes are red-rimmed and flowing freely. They’re coming for me. I’ll be forced to go home. Forced to be someone I’m not. Someone I never was.

  
“I’m getting concerned, you know. I don’t want you to be upset.” He kneels down, taking one of my feet and looking it over. “These aren’t bleeding, so that’s ruled out. What’s troubling you, Zai?”

  
“I thought you didn’t care.”

  
“I apologize, I-”

  
“No, that’s not what’s wrong. I thought that you didn’t care about me. There’s so many people in the palace, but only one other guy. And being around everyone is nice, it really is! But sometimes I can’t just… It’s difficult. And…”

  
“Something’s eating at you, I can see it on your face.”

  
“I… Well, I overheard what you were…”

  
“Was my yelling upsetting, somehow?”

  
“No, not the yelling itself. But the contents… That’s what scares me.”

  
He remains silent, running the words I say through his thoughts. “Do you not like other hylians?”

  
“They’re coming for me.”

  
“I don’t think that a simple noble would cause such a stir. You’re overthinking-”

  
“No! No! I know they’re looking for me! I-!” Desperation is clawing at my insides. I have to get away if I can. They’ll all be hurt if I’m found here. How did they already clear all the other areas? Did they not search Zora’s Domain, Death Mountain, or the Hebra Range? Why not look in Akkala, Faron, or Kakariko? But it has to be him. He must have seen me escaping, or tracked me. He was always a good hunter. But to think those talents would be turned upon me.

  
“You’re panicking, aren’t you? Come, you should sleep, and do so quickly.”

  
“How can I sleep like this?” My hair is going to come undone in my fists, I can feel the strands ripping. “I just… I don’t…”

  
His face softens, and Ganon kneels down, moving scrolls out of the way to sit in front of me. “Please, just tell me what is hurting you so badly.”

  
“I… I can’t. If I do, you will… It’s my worst secret. And it’s not even real secret. If they find me, everything I’ve said, it all…”

  
“You’ve lied to us, haven’t you?” He says it more as a statement, a moment of real understanding as to what’s killing me. “And that lie is what keeps you happy here, isn’t it?”  
“It’s less of a lie, and more of who I wanted to be.”

  
“Are you truly a noble?”

  
“Of sorts. When we create masks, it’s more of a reflection of who we really are. I spent years hiding myself… All I wanted was to be free. And now they’re just going to drag me back to being captured.”

  
“I… understand that feeling. For years, I’ve never left the desert. The world outside is a mystery. The only glances I get are the assortment of treasures from other regions around the world.”

  
“But you are free to go wherever you want in your kingdom!”

  
“Never away from the desert, you mean. I want to travel, to see the world! Yet I am here, attending to my mother.”

  
“But you want to be here with her, don’t you?”

  
“Well, yes…” He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. “But I yearn to see the world out there, because I know it’s just waiting for me.”

  
“That’s exactly how I feel. I… I’m sorry. If I tell the truth, I feel like everything’s going to come crashing down.” My throat is dragging the rest of my body down, like I’m drifting slowly into a sinkhole. “It just might, to be honest.”

  
“You should try to remain positive, Zai.”

  
“It’s hard to remain positive in a situation like this one.”

  
“I see. But…” He sighs, shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m not very good at comforting people. Is there anything I can do to help you?”

  
“A hug, possibly.”

  
With a helping hand to stand up, I’m pulled into a warm embrace. Though the scent isn’t clean cotton or jasmine like my mother, the sentiment is still there. I was always a panicky child, and with good reason. Anything you did you could possibly get you hurt back home. But here, things are cushioned, like the practice before a hard test. You can make whatever mistakes you like, nothing hurts after falling. Where the was once a hole in my heart, an ice cold cavern my mother left behind, there is now sand blown in by the warm winds of someone finally caring about my well-being once again.

  
It seems like the barrier I put up in front of the cave, thousands of “no entry” and “forbidden” signs, just crumbles when someone runs a hand through my hair or throws their arm over my shoulders.

  
“Are you… alright?”

  
Oh. In my thoughts, I didn’t even realize that I’d started crying. My barrier claws at my forehead, begging to be put back in place, to shove away from Ganon and run away again like a startled baby deer. But in defiance, I bury my head into his shoulder, holding tighter and letting my tears fall.

  
It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a good cry.

  
\---

  
Dinner is somewhat uneventful, though a different faire of food this time around. Instead of copious fruits and other breakfast foods, the table is laden down with gourmet and prime meats, whole chickens, different stews and soups, and one very impressive selection of vegetables. Though many people might say bad things about Gerudo town, one has to admit that they know their foodstuffs. Yusha gives a hearty laugh when I dive for the ostrich meat.

  
“Well, at least you know what you want.”

  
“I’m just impressed that you managed to get that on your plate.” Ganon mutters at my side, looking as though he’s doing his best not to laugh.

  
Mostly, I can’t reply because I’ve just scraped enough meat off the bone to chow down. The incessant chatter starts up just like morning, a drinking song or two starting up where the day-drinkers sit.

  
“Ganon, pass this over.” One of the women passes him a tray of drinks, and I reach out to grab one. He quickly bats my hand away.

  
“Nope.”

  
“Oh come on, I need something to drink with this.”

  
“Nope. Noble Pursuit is not-”

  
“Ganon, be nice. I imagine that a hylian like him could handle one drink.”

  
He pinches the bridge of his nose, then reluctantly passes me a glass.

  
“I’ll tell you, though, Zai. Noble Pursuit is incredibly strong the more you take.”

  
I raise the cup to my lips, and knock back a mouthful. It doesn’t burn like most alcohol does, nor quite as bitter. It has that fruity taste you’d expect of the tropics, but more of a cake sweetness than fruit. It’s as cold as ice water, and strangely fizzy somehow.

  
“Damn.”

  
“Damn indeed, right?” Yusha takes a cup from the tray as Ganon passes it on to her, and takes a small sip.

  
“No more than three cups for you.” He says, pointing at her.

  
“Come off it. I can hold my liquor better than you.”

  
“Lies. You get drunk off four cups. It takes about eight to get me buzzed like that.”

  
“Well excuse me, I’m not built like a tank.” She gives him a teasing flick on the forehead, and he rolls up his sleeves, diving after her. When I finish my cup, their still play-fighting, and I grab another.

  
The stuff actually seems to have the opposite effect of alcohol, cooling me off instead of heating me up. The drinking song brigade is trying to do a conga line around the room, and once Ganon falls back in his seat, I tug on his sleeve.

  
“Yeah?”

  
“Are all dinners like this?”

  
“Now you know what you were missing.” He says, somewhat tired from whatever wrestling match occurred on the floor. A small pang runs through my chest. Though I wouldn’t want to wrestle my mom, I still wish I had that close of a relationship with mine. I quickly knock that thought out of my head by finishing off my second drink.

  
“Did it seriously take you that long to finish?”

  
“Uh…” Welp, I’m dead.

  
“You took another, didn’t you?”

  
“... Yep.”

  
“Just… don’t drink anymore. The dancers might snatch you off and go bar hopping with you if you get drunk enough.”

  
“Might have to do that someday.”

  
“Not today, please.” The tray comes around again, and Ganon grabs one, knocking the whole thing back in one go. Now that’s impressive. He slams the cup back down onto the table, then turns back to me.

  
“What’s with the look?”

  
“Huh?”

  
“You’re turning as red as your feet.”

  
“Okay, maybe this alcohol does heat up.” I murmur, grabbing a cup of water and quickly finishing it off. “Sorry. Oh crap, I didn’t finish my ostrich!”

  
“Let me help you put this fellow to bed, then.”

  
It’s later that night, when I go back to my room, still in joyous mood and a little buzzed from liquor, that I realize just how different this place is from home.

  
Home was sterile and cool, just bricks that surrounded rooms, draperies that blocked out the sun to keep the furniture from fading. But even though everything was made of the finest materials, silver wrought by zora, silks made by the gerudo, wood from the rito, and gemstones from the goron, the place was impersonable, as if our family could merely drop from it and be easily replaced by another. The only signs of someone different living there would be my room, which was even then less permanent and more so temporary.

  
However, Gerudo town, this palace, even the desert, is permanent yet constantly shifting. Details remain the same no matter what, whether it be the color of the chairs in the dining room, the tapestries hung upon the walls, or the shape of the buildings. But the people change so often, from outfit to outfit, day by day. The wares in shops change quickly, always so fast with whatever’s new. You can see the same imports from other regions, but instead of being worked into a central being, they are shiny on their own. Proud rito feathers on display, used as quills, stuffing for pillows, or any other sort of thing. Gemstones not only in jewelry, but also weapons and shields. Zora silver, but also zora armor and some of the most beautiful spears I’ve ever seen. And the most delicious fried fish. And the great clothing bazaar, where silks hang from the ceiling, changing in an ever swirling storm of color when one piece is sold.

  
It’s strange. It’s strange how this place manages to be “home” more than Hyrule ever was. How it’s warmer, the sort of warmth my mother brought to it surrounding everything. Maybe I should ask Yusha if she ever visited…

  
My thoughts begin to slow down as I fall to my bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over me. It’s been a long day, but…  
At least I get the soothingness of my bed at the end of it.

  
\---


	3. The Calm Before the Thunderstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganondorf and Zai go hunting for a molduga. Other shenanigans happen, mostly just some not-so-subtle setting up for the plot, a cat fight, the reveal of some names, and a very delicious ice-water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this might be the most chapters I've stuck on a fanfic. And the most words. Save me. Finals are coming. And the final doesn't forget.

But of course, there’s more important things to worry about than just running around a buying clothing. It takes around five days, five blissful days of shopping, climbing aqueducts, and eating good food before the army arrives. Well, I wouldn’t call it an army, more of a scouting group. Or some form of diplomatic assembly. But no matter how I slice it, they’re still here for me.

  
I notice when I see them at the gate, talking with an impressive group of guards from the wall. There’s about twenty of them, maybe half women (at least they learned), and all in various states of red faces and undress. Someone should have told them to bring a cooling potion. Hell, someone should have told me to bring a cooling potion. As much I want to pity them, I know what these people are here to do.

  
Thank god I managed to cut all my hair off. I’d almost broken into the infirmary to grab a pair of scissors to shear it all. At the very least, I’ll be hard to recognize. Though I can see many of the men craning their necks over the guards, it’s definitely to get a good look at the ladies around here.

  
“Geez, what a pile up.” Ishar mutters, shifting the bags on her arms. “You’d think they’d get that mess under control.”

  
“Aren’t you a guard, Ishar?”

  
“Nah, that’s not my business. Did I forget to tell you? I’m Yusha’s daughter.”

  
“So am I.” Natalie chimes in, pulling the corn-on-the-cob away from her mouth. “Though Ishar’s much better with the scimitar.”

  
“Oh please, bomb arrows are awesome. Don’t go drop-kicking yourself.”

  
“Almost how you dropped your sword in the middle of your trials?”

  
Ishar passes the bags to me, the lunges at her sister like a panther. It’s a funny sight, two fully grown women scuffling like children. Natalie gets her in a headlock, noogie-ing fiercely and likely messing up Ishar’s close-cropped pixie.

  
“Lemme go, you cheater!”

  
“Vengeance!” She shouts, then gets a swift uppercut into the chin. There’s no real need to stop them, as the sight is both entertaining and likely to cause collateral damage to whoever interferes. However, my tiny, one-hundred pound self is saved from a roundhouse kick by the only other guy in Gerudo town.

  
Ganondorf spots them, walks over like a soldier, gets between them, and holds them apart by the scruff of their necks and necklaces. Both start screeching at him, but one harsh glare to each and both immediately stop fighting.

  
“What is the meaning of this? And right in front of the hylian emissaries, too?”

  
Both hang their heads in shame, still being held a good few inches off the ground. Ganon is incredibly tall, even against a bunch of women who are about seven feet even without heels. “Both of you go back to the castle, and to your rooms.”

  
With that, he drops them both back on their feet, and the two quickly walk off, back of their necks a much redder and darker hue.

  
“Sorry about that. Did they get you at all?”

  
“Nope. Stayed out of the way.”

  
“Good. Those two don’t fight very often, but I guess tensions are high today…” He looks off to the gate, where the soldiers are still being cleared. “Is everything alright?”

  
“Peachy. Could you take some of these for me?”

  
“Certainly. Why are you buying so many things, anyways?”

  
“Call it therapeutic. Besides, when I go travelling again, I’ll probably need some of this stuff.”

  
“Fair point. But travelling is difficult, even more so nowadays.”

  
“Yeah, but I managed to get here, right?”

  
“You also got brilliant sunburns and heatstroke, in case you’ve forgotten.”

  
“Hardy-har.” The smooth stone is being hosed off by one of the palace maids, so we quickly step around the slick spots so I don’t trip and bust my head open. Almost happened the other day when I didn’t know any better.

  
“It’s a pretty nice day.”

  
“Yeah. Though I have no idea how it stays so cool here.”

  
“Water. The aqueducts run water through the cooling systems we have rigged. Someone found out a long time ago that if you rig some copper tubing around a fan and drip cold water over that, it can knock twenty degrees off the temperature.”

  
“Woah.”

  
“I know, right? They can’t do it at the oasis because there’s no walls, but I know that the inn has something like that going for it.”

  
“No wonder there’s a flock of travelers in there.”

  
“You went down to the Oasis?”

  
“Nat and I went there two days ago. Their arrows are less expensive, and I’m trying to build up a good quiver.”

  
“Well, just make sure you do quality control. The arrows may be Gerudo-made, but our town makes the best.”

  
“You sure about that?” I mess with the golden bow, wrapped up in silk. It wasn’t cheap, but again, quality over quantity.

  
“Their bomb arrows explode much too quickly. Ours give you a good twenty seconds to aim and fire.”

  
“Huh. Never knew that.”

  
Finally, the group is allowed past the gate, but only half. Obviously it’s only the women, and though some of the soldiers with them argue against the guards, whatever words they’re saying aren’t getting them anywhere. At first, my instinct says to run, hide, and make sure they can’t find me, but when they pass over us like a mild current, it seems that this whole thing might not concern me.

  
Either way I’m going to end up obsessing over it for an hour. They pass us at the doorway, entering the palace after showing scrolls to the guards. When I look at Ganon, all he does is shrug.

  
“We did receive the letters, but I never knew that they’d actually be allowed in.”

  
“Well, good for them I suppose.”

  
“Are you upset about it?”

  
“Not really.” But lies are acidic on my tongue, and I sigh. “Well, just a bit nervous.”

  
“You said that they are here for you. Why is that?”

  
“Ahem.”

  
“Oh, right. Sorry.” He rubs the back of his neck, flustered. For some reason, in the midday light shining over the city, his hair seems more amber than deep orange, shinier and less straw-like. Maybe he just managed to get it under control. Or Yusha forced him too. As I’ve come to know her, she’s crack-whip, even with her lazy demeanor and calm face. I can somewhat see those regal, cat-like features in his face, though Yusha’s hair is much more well-kept on regular.

  
“Did you get scrubbed?”

  
“You have no idea. I got dragged into the bathhouse. Imagine that. A grown man, the size of a bull, being pulled by his arms, hair, and legs into the bathhouse. I’d pretty much given up at that point.”

  
“Sounds fun.”

  
“It was not. Not even a little.” He rubs his forearm absentmindedly. “They might have taken off a layer of my skin.”

  
“Yowch.”

  
“Well, it’s only when we have company coming. Mom’s decided to let them in, though the wiseness of that decision is still under review.”

  
“Why are they here, anyways?”

  
“Pft, you won’t believe it.” I can hear a hint of ‘I don’t believe it’ in his voice, and I brace myself for what I know is coming.

  
“I’m a fair bit open minded.”

  
“Fine. They sent us a letter asking to search the city, because their princess went missing.”

  
“Princess?”

  
“Yeah, it’s ridiculous. Then again, maybe they should take a look at themselves and ask why the girl ran away. Though it must be bad in Hyrule right now if two nobles ran away in a similar timeframe.”

  
“You have no idea.”

  
“I thought that Hyrule was such a nice place, too.”

  
“Well, it’s beautiful. It’s just the people who don’t stack up.”

  
He chuckles, and I feel a small rush of affection for him bubble up.

  
“Who says that there always has to be people around?”

  
“I wasn’t always allowed to leave home.”

  
“Oh. Well, that makes sense. We’re more alike than you think, huh?”

  
“I guess so.” He smiles, a warm thing that brings up his eyebrows and moves any bitterness off his face.

  
“Wanna see how much we can get the emissaries to drink at dinner? Unless you limit them each to a cup of Noble Pursuit, that is. Though I picture they’ll be just as red as those rubies in Ishar’s hair.”

  
For a second, I think I’ve done something wrong with how red his face gets. Then the dam breaks, and he’s letting out full bellied laughs. He clutches at the wall, hanging on and cackling. The sound is so pure, so joyful. Something you’d never expect from someone like Ganon, with a serious face and tough voice. But smiling softens his features, laughing makes him someone different, and that hearty sound seems to come straight from his own heart.

  
I like it. I like it a lot more than I should.

  
“Okay, but enough goofing off. Let’s go greet those emissaries before mother sends Nat and Ishar down from their time-out to get us.”

  
\---

  
Somehow, some way, the emissaries don’t recognize me. However, that should be pretty obvious considering how I’ve managed to change over the past few weeks. Sitting in one of the many chairs of the receiving party feels weird, but it might be more natural than I think. Though I don’t know everyone’s name yet, hang out with people other than Ishar and Natalie, or always join the merrymaking at dinner, people here in Gerudo City have done their best to include me. Much more so than my almost twenty-odd years in Hyrule.

  
It’s strange to see these women chattering amongst themselves, all close in friendship and kinship. No matter where I went, I didn’t fit in. But they’ve found their place. I never really had that luck, did I? But the past has come to pass, and this city is where I want to be. It’s where Ishar leans over at dinner, chattering about certain events throughout the day and asking about what I did as well. It’s where Natalie works hard to weave accessories into my hair just for the fun of it. It’s where Chieftess Yusha will give me another cup of Noble Pursuit when Ganon’s not looking. It’s where I made my first friend, Ganondorf.

  
Thank Hylia that no one’s figured it out yet. But thinking about those years brings me some kind of headache, so I try not to dwell on it.

  
Tonight, I’m just laying on my bed, unrolling scrolls and reading chapters of an epic, one that Ganon pointed me to when I went searching for some reading materials. Though Din’s Fury is hard to read at points, considering my lackluster Gerudo comprehension, the story still is a bit of a thrill ride. My dinner plate sits on my desk, covered in crumbs from dinner.

  
It’s then that there’s a knocking on my door. When I open it, he’s standing there, a bowl in his hands. It’s dwarfed, but the delicate crystal glitters under torchlight.

  
“Good evening, Ganon.”

  
“Good evening to you too. I brought some dessert for you.” He extends out his hands, and I take the bowl from them. It’s almost freezing, even on the surface of the bowl. Frost is forming on the edges.

  
“It’s a water ice. They’re fairly popular here, and someone decided to make an icehouse run so we could have some.”

  
“Interesting. Is it just ice and fruit?” I pull a strawberry from the pile, biting in.

  
“No, it’s flavored. Noble Pursuit, as you would like it.”

  
I pull the spoon out, scooping up some of the ice and tasting it. The strange sweetness of the liquor tastes even better when icy cold. “It’s amazing…”

  
“Yes, isn’t it?” He seems proud, arms crossed over a puffed out chest, smug-ish look on his face.

  
“Let me guess, you made it.” He freezes, and a laugh bubbles up. I have to set the water ice down as not to spill it, and then I’m grabbing my stomach, laughing.

  
“Sorry…”

  
“No, no. It’s okay to be proud of something you made. Is this your first time making it?”

  
“Yes, actually. I’m not as good at making them as Kashi is. But hey, sometimes you have to try things.”

  
“Well, I think you succeeded. By quite a longshot, I might add.”

  
“I’m glad you like it.”

  
“I’m glad you made it.”

  
We’re both standing there, a bit pinker in the face and though the water ice is cold in my hands, my face is still burning.

  
“So… um… say, my mother gave me this… chore, of sorts. Are you any good at fighting?”

  
“Well, I made it across the desert, didn’t I?”

  
A small chuckle rumbles, almost like thunder. “You almost made it across the desert.”

  
“Still counts.”

  
“Maybe. But again, are you any good? And if so, with what?”

  
“I’m a bit of dead shot with bow and arrow.”

  
“Brilliant. That’s precisely what I need. Any experience with bomb arrows? You certainly bought a lot.”

  
“A fair amount. I know better than to fire one on Death Mountain.”

  
“That you do. I guess that you’ll probably be a good asset to this… ‘chore’.” He made visible air quotes, and that sent me another peal of laughter.

  
“Stop being vague, please.” I managed to say, after my sides began to hurt from laughing. “What kind of task has she set you?”

  
He sighed, shaking his head. “We have to hunt a molduga.”

  
“A molduga?”

  
“A creature in the desert, ancient as Din herself. There are multiple ones, though they congregate in the wastelands. You can often find one by the old ruins.”

  
“Ruins?”

  
“An old shrine, apparently. A hylian historian came to look at it years ago, and confirmed as such.”

  
The idea is daunting. It’s been ages since I’ve been allowed to fight, to hunt, to kill. It was never considered a good idea for the personality my father wanted to cultivate in me.

But the idea of hunting down this beast Ganon speaks of seems fun. Besides, if all we need are bomb arrows, this ought to be simple.

  
“I think I’ll come with then. But I need time to refresh my skills.”

  
“Been a long time?”

  
“You have no idea.” It’s been years, maybe a decade. A decade since the sword was taken from my hand, only allowed to hide daggers under the folds of fabric. A decade since my phrenic bow was replaced with more of an accessory, not a thing that could truly kill. A decade since my shield became the centerpiece of my weapons, not even a good one like a Lynel Shield.

  
So it’s wonderful to hold a golden bow in my hands, a bit heavier than I’d like but works well all the same. The bomb arrow range is less of a range and more of shooting at a cliff face. It’s part of the Gerudo Highlands, a place Ganondorf describes as “so cold that your eyelashes turn white”. The rock face lights up in oranges and reds, shrapnel tumbling down far away from us. A hard pat on the back rocks me, and when I look up, he’s grinning down at me, face a little strange under the lack of harsh sun.

  
“Nice one. You’re definitely experienced in the bow, aren’t you?”

  
“I guess.”

  
“Don’t downplay yourself, my friend.” He pats me on the back again, this time less harsh. “Oh, look. Nau is about to aim.”

  
“Nau?”

  
“Ah. I forgot that you don’t know her actual name…”

  
“You mean Natalie, right?”

  
“Ganon!” She turned around the moment her arrow went flying, glaring at him. “I told you not to tell him!”

  
“Nau is a fine name, sister.”

  
“Noooooo!”

  
I yank on his sleeve, and he leans down slightly. “What does Nau mean?”

  
“It means ‘kitten’ or ‘young one’. She doesn’t like it-”

  
“Because I’m not a baby!”

  
“Yes. That.”

  
“You spoiled it!” She dropped her bow, glaring. Her eyes are shiny like the jewel on her forehead. Dangerously shiny. Not like the jewel, but more of a snake.

  
“I did not.”

  
“Did too!”

  
“Did not.”

  
The two kept going in that loop for a good two minutes before Ishar walked in between them.

  
“Can you two not?”

  
“Well, if she didn’t get offended the moment I say her real name.”

  
“I prefer Natalie!”

  
“Agree to disagree, please.”

  
“Never!” Natalie shouted.

  
“Okay.”

  
With a great and heavy sigh, Ishar turns to Natalie. “Look, cool it.”

  
In response, Natalie flounces off.

  
“Well, that’s… not ideal.”

  
“No kidding.”

  
\---

  
We have to wake up at the crack of dawn to hunt the molduga. I’m suited up in hunting clothes, light and airy things.

  
“It’s because heavy clothing likes to make noise. This stuff doesn’t even ruffle in the breeze.” To make his point, he spins in a circle. Though the effect is clear, I can’t help laughing until my stomach hurts.

  
“S-sorry!” I manage between peals of laughter. “It’s-it’s just-” However unspoken, it’s a hilarious sight to see Ganon spinning like a top, then swaying after he finally stops.  
“Yeah, yeah, hardy-har. I was just proving a point.”

  
“A wonderful point to prove. C’mon, then. You said we have to be there before the thing makes up, so…”  
“Alright. Let’s grab our gear and go.”

  
The trek through the desert is prevented by sand seals, as we rush across the dunes. It’s almost like riding a boat, feeling the wind brush past my face as I go. However, as we approach the wasteland, Ganon stops us with a raised hand.

  
“No further on the seals. Though it is early, it may be awake already.”

  
“Huh?”

  
“Don’t you remember what I was saying the other day? This thing is overly sensitive to vibrations. The good news is that it cannot distinguish vibrations. Thus, bomb arrows.”

  
“Oh.”

  
“It’s fine. You’re probably just tired.”

  
“That’s not very good.”

  
“Here, take some coffee.” He pulled out a water skin, smaller than the bejeweled one. It was instead adorned with a pretty pattern, only a few shades darker than the skin itself. It was still warm to the touch.

  
“Huh.” I carefully unscrewed the the top, knocking back a swig. The thing almost hit the sand, only spilling a tiny bit on the pretty gold below us. It was horribly bitter, even worse than the time I tried to eat a frog as a child. More bellowing laughs of thunder came from above me.

  
“Sorry! I’m so sorry! I should have stopped you!” He helps me up, then passes me the real water skin. Swishing the water around negates a lot of the damage, and I spit it out onto the now lukewarm sand.

  
“That… was vile.”

  
“I am so sorry, Zai. I truly didn’t mean-” But I hold up a hand to stop him.

  
“It’s okay. Shouldn’t just go putting things in my mouth.”

  
“Some kind of oral fixation, huh.”

  
“I guess. Once I tried to eat a rock when I was young.”

  
“Sweet Din.”

  
“Oh please, like you weren’t teething when you were a child.”

  
“Fair point.” Two cups and a small jar appear from his bag. “Here, let me make you something that tastes much better than black coffee.”

  
A few minutes later, we’re sitting in the shade of a rock, cup in my hand looking rather less poisonous. Instead of being pitch black, like bokoblin blood, it’s creamy brown. Milk and sugar do the trick, making the concoction only slightly bitter, enough to wake me up.

  
“Wow.”

  
“Much better, isn’t it?”

  
“You know your way around sweet stuff.”

  
“I had a sweet tooth when I was a child. Mother once caught me trying to drink the Noble Pursuit in the kitchen and I don’t think I’ve ever been whipped that hard in my life.”

  
“That’s not… um.”

  
“But it did serve me right. No child should drink liquor, I think. And hey, I know my tolerance much better now because of it.”

  
“Well, that’s a good thing.”

  
“Certainly. Now then, shall we get started on hunting that molduga?”

  
“Definitely.”

  
\---

  
“I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!”

  
We’re barrelling down a dune, molduga right on our heels. This was a bad idea. This was a really bad idea. This was a _really, really_ bad idea.

  
“THIS USUALLY GOES WELL!” He shouts back at me, legs pumping and arms swinging. He’s just a little ahead of me, but we’re still both in very immediate danger. I can barely hear anything over the almost deafening shifting of sands. It all started when I realized that Ganon walks with about as much stealth as an elephant. After training for years, I can walk so quietly you’d think I was a passing breeze, but Ganon obviously didn’t have an annoying father to work around.

 

  
“WELL, USUALLY ISN’T A MAGIC WORD THAT MAKES YOUR ACTIONS INCONSEQUENTIAL!”

  
“I TRIED MY BEST, OKAY?!”

  
That thing is definitely going to kill us if we can’t get out of the sand. I see the rock face coming up ahead. Ganon’s about to swerve, but I yank on his arm and keep him on path.

  
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

  
“CLIMB THE CLIFF! TRUST ME!”

  
He obeys, launching himself on it, almost slamming his face against the orange rock. I jump after him, scrambling up as fast as I can. Just as I hoped, the molduga jumps up, but can’t get us on the rock. It screeches, and that just motivates me to move even faster. We manage to get to the top in record time, but the thing’s already gone back under the sand. I’m about to call it quits and ask to call for back up, but Ganon gives me a grin and launches the bomb arrow right at the sand. It blows up, creating a shudder even I can feel, though it is very slight. The thing jumps out again, and I quickly nock an arrow and shoot in the thing’s mouth. Ganon does the same, and they blow inside of the creature.

  
It falls to the ground, and he laughs in a booming voice just as loud as the bombs.

  
“Come, quickly!” He grabs me around the waist, then jumps down. For a second, I’m screaming. We’re so dead. Why did he jump off the damn cliff? Does he have a death wish or something? But the meaning becomes clear in a second. He aims, shifting this way and that in midair until he lands right on the stomach of it. With a loud, punched out sound, the thing screams. It explodes into black smoke, and though the scent is vile, it doesn’t last very long.

  
There’s a bunch of chests scattered around, alongside many things that are definitely molduga guts. It’s still pulsing. Gross. There’s quite a few swords and similar things on the ground as well, and Ganon scoops them up.

  
“Can you open those chests? I’ll gather up the guts.”

  
“I can definitely work with that.”

  
Around another hour later, we’re sitting on the cliff, watching the wind move the dunes.

  
“That’s pretty sick.”

  
“I know, right? I used to think that dunes stayed still forever, but I guess that’s what I like about sand. Always moving, you know?”

  
“Isn’t everything always moving?”

  
“Definitely.”

  
A cool glass is pushed into my hands.

  
“Noble Pursuit? Really?”

  
“I managed to sneak some out in a canteen. We’ll have to share, though. And we’ll definitely need time to sober up.”

  
“No problems with that!” Pursuit tastes great, even still. Something about it’s chill is pleasant, even when we’re not on the hot sand. Passing it to Ganon, I sit and watch the spreading blue sky.

  
“Everything’s so beautiful here.”

  
“I know, right? Though I wish to travel, this place never gets old.” He swings back the canteen, a small flush appearing on his cheeks. “I could spend all day up here, watching the sands move.”

  
“Me too.” Before I can really think it over, I lean on his shoulder. Instead of pushing me off, he instead runs a hand through my hair.

  
Maybe a few hours later, as the sun dips lower and lower into the sky, we’re both fairly buzzed. We’re stuck in a game of twenty questions, in a pretty decent buzz. It’s not like I don’t know my actions. It’s more like they translate faster from mind to body. And with much, much less control.

  
“And so I said, ‘what kind of sand seal is that?’ and Ishar lost her mind. But I guess that everything worked out well. And that was my first time fighting a molduga.”

  
I’d almost split my sides laughing once again. “You- You’re very quick witted!”

  
“Thank you. I pride myself on it!” He puffed out his chest again, grinning.

  
“A good thing to pride yourself on!” I took another swig from the canteen. “Okay, so what’s your question for me?”

  
“Hmm…” He strokes his beard, a beautiful thing in the fading sunlight. “Ah, I got one. What’s your real name? It’s a bit strange to know both Nau’s and your nickname, but only know Nau’s real name.”

  
Well, we are fairly buzzed out, so it might not make a difference. A very low likelihood of remembering this tomorrow. And besides, it’ll be absolutely hilarious if he recognizes the name.

  
“Fine, fine. I guess I ought to come clean.” I support my chin on my curled up legs, letting a smile spread over my face. “My real name is Zelda.”

  
Silence is like thick frosting, hard to move or cut. But it’s somehow peaceful, watching the sun lower further and further into sky, turning it more brilliant pinks, oranges, and reds. It fades into navy blue at the edges, clouds rimmed with pink. Probably like my eyes. Oh crap, I’m crying. How wimpy. Ugh. This sucks.

  
“Your name is…” He sucks in a breath, sounding lost for air. “You’re… Zelda?”


	4. Bandages, Wails, and a Father's Fails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mother, this mark..."  
> "It is a blessing and a curse, my dear vehvi."  
> "A curse?"  
> "My dear vehvi..." Vava smiles, yet there are tears in her eyes. They glisten with the lamplight. What is making her sad? Is it me? "You are blessed with power, immense strength and leadership. But there is a curse. This is not the first life you have lived, and it will certainly not be the last."  
> "Reincarnation?"  
> "Din's sweet wind has come and blessed you, but there is a catch. You are..." She swallows, another stray tear rolling down her cheek. "You are doomed to defeat, or a bitter end."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a whole month going by! (And I'm going on vacation, so next update... *shudder*) It's dangerous to go alone, so take this fanfiction!  
> Oh, and if you see any mistakes or discrepancies, please tell me in the comments! Always useful!  
> And thanks for the kudos! (And shoutout to the person who said that the relationship is good! I live for comments like that.)

_I hate this thing._

  
_There are few things I hate in the world, as a young child. I hate having to focus on prayer and trials. I hate how bandages feel on my skin. I hate how when I cry, my face turns red and I look stupid. I hate Father most of all._

  
_But this Hylia-forsaken dress is just too much. It might look fine on a finer girl, one that wears pretty hair ornaments and lipstick, riding a pure white horse through the Hyrule Fields. But I am not that finer girl. I’m not even a girl._

  
_Sometimes, I’ll rip off that dress, throw on my pyjamas, curl up in my bed like a butterfly in his cocoon. I want to change. I want to become something that I am inside. I want to rise from my swirling pile of blankets and pillows as a prince from my storybooks. Instead of wishing I’m the princess, I pray to be the prince on his shining steed, sword strapped to his hip and shield on his arm. I look at the hero of legend, green cap fluttering in the wind on his faithful horse Epona._

  
_When Mother told me that the book was not just a fairytale, I had been over the moon. Maybe there was a chance that I would grow up to become this hero, proving Father’s notion wrong. I was not_ Princess _Zelda, but_ Prince _Link. Mother did not call me as such, but refrained from calling me Zelda, that name I hate. Instead, she’d lovingly refer to me as Zai, patting my head and feeding me clementines. When I asked her where Zai came from, she told me that she simply liked the name, not commenting further upon it._

  
_The day she died was the worst day of my life. Even worse than being forced into a ball gown. Even worse than having to try frog legs. Seeing her, in the coffin, so peaceful and quiet, was the worst feeling in my life. My chest was pulled down to my feet, the world constantly buzzed, my throat was stuffed with cotton balls._

  
_I knew that if there was no semblance of consequence, I would climb in there and join her. I’d let the funeral mourners bury me alongside her. I’d fall asleep next to her, like I did on the nights where there were storms. Neither of us would have to live without the other._

  
_Some people claim that when one door closes, another opens. It was not a fair trade, not in the slightest. But without my mother to silently protect me in the shadows, someone else had to take her place._

  
_And take that place someone did._

  
_It was a cool February morning, where tea and woolen socks woke me up quickly. (Though I would abstain from my duties for as long as possible. One good thing about being a princess is that the school schedule works around you, not the other way around.) Instead of being left to my own devices, I was roused by my caretaker, Impa. She addressed me curtly to get dressed in something more fine than my usual wear, pulled a brush through my hair, and sent me quickly down to the throne room. My scalp was smarting slightly from harsh treatment. Though as rough as Impa was around the edges, she still managed to take care of me properly._

  
_A few breaths to steel myself, and I opened the door. It was merely a side door, not the grand front entrance that many nobles used from a dramatic flair. I preferred being non-assuming, even as crown princess._

  
_In front of the throne stood a young man. At first, I thought nothing of it. Probably some merchant selling goods that wished to sell to me as well. But then I noticed the rest. Though he didn’t wear a long green cap like in the storybooks, he still wore a tunic, green like the forest. His eyes were blue, hair a sandy-ish blond. But there was the sword on his back, one I had seen in every story, no matter if it were the hero of Time, Wind, or Twilight. A blue handle, blue as his eyes, with silvery metal, only the smallest sliver visible between the sheath and handle._

  
_“Zelda, come here.”_

  
_I’m frozen, my legs refusing to work, my heart working overtime. He turns to me, mostly neutral but his eyes betray his feelings. They’re wide and his eyebrows are lifted. Surprise? Shock? Intrigue? That raking over with eyes is incredibly anxiety-inducing. There’s silent expectation in Father’s face. I have to greet a guest properly, no matter my emotional state._

  
_I will my feet to move, though allowing my hands to be clasped in front of me. I might look pathetic. What is he thinking? Has a calamity awoken?_

  
_“Zelda, this is Link. He is from the Great Hyrule Woods, or more specifically, the Korok Forest.”_

  
_Before me, a pitiful not-princess, this hero of legend bowed. Hero on beautiful and fair Epona, hero of Time, the Sky, the Wind, the Twilight, the Wild, of Majora, and the Seasons themselves, bows before me, on his knee, eyes closed in submission. He, this legendary hero who carries the Master Sword on his back, bows before a boy forced to take on the title of generations, one that does not belong to him. This hero, this wonderful hero, takes my hands, and presses a kiss to the tops of them. My heart is squeezing, choking in my chest. I’d always seen this hero drawn in beautiful colors, strong brow and ice-blue eyes, crystal hard against a monster. To think, that I would get to meet this man. What sort of thing could I have done right to receive a reward as handsome as this?_

  
_“Starting today, he will be looking after you as personal guard detail.” My Father smiles at me, those same green eyes as mine strangely warm, instead of poisonous like a snake’s scales. All the breath slips out of me. This hero of legend has watched over many princesses, of course. It would make sense, right? Right?_

  
_“I… I’m… Sorry, I’m just…”_

  
_“No, it makes sense, dear. Please, allow yourself a moment.”_

  
_I take a few deep breaths. Okay. Impa must have told him to go easier on me, possibly. He’s never really encouraged me to try and come down from an anxiety spike. I now have a new guard. Good. Really good. But what about Impa herself?_

  
_“Father, if I might ask, what becomes of Impa?”_

  
_“She will remain your trainer, do not worry. But she has very rarely had time to visit her home. This sort of time off will allow her time to regroup herself.”_

  
_Okay. Good. Impa will still be in my life. My only mother figure. I couldn’t bear losing a mother a second time. And she’ll get to see Kakariko Village. We’ve only been once or twice on training studies, but I imagine she’s glad to go home for a little while._

  
_“Right, thank you.” I let hands leave the hero’s, and he stands. Still a little stiff. Probably as nervous as I am._

  
_“He’s already been given a tour. You may go back to your activities, Zelda.”_

  
_Instead of walking back to my room alone, the hero followed after me. Link. His name is Link, and I should refer to him as such. But it’s hard to think of him as just another person, when he carries such a legacy alongside his sword. My room isn’t even a respite from him, heroic vibes still shining through as he stands beside my door, leaning on the stone wall._

  
_I try to ignore him, writing away on my homework. My fountain pen rarely makes a scratching noise, smoothly flowing. One of my favorite possessions. There are many good things in my little sanctuary, including a prized music box that plays the Princess’s Lullaby, a stuffed dragon, almost as long as the real thing, my silky pyjamas that are thankfully a nice blue, and one locket shaped in a gold circle._

  
_“So, your name is Link, right?”_

  
_He nods when I look at him. Not much of a talker, I’d guess._

  
_“It’s nice to meet you.”_

  
_He gives me a warm smile at that, then looks around the room. A few seconds later, he spots what he’s looking for, then picks up a chair and moves it next to my desk. He’s almost like a puppy, trying to be as close to his master as he can._

  
_“Oh, you probably won’t understand it. It’s an exponential equation.”_

  
_He nods, then leans back slightly. A little cute, in a puppy way._

  
_“While you’re over here… Well, I might as well lay my ground rules. But you don’t talk, so I guess that it doesn’t matter.”_

  
_At the word ‘rules’ he sits up straighter, face hardening again slightly. Ready for action, I guess. If he was trained, which he must have been, it was likely that he had lots of rules at the Garrison Camp._

  
_“If you have rules, I’ll hear them.” The first words out of his mouth are rusty, as if he hasn’t spoken in a long while. “I’d like you to be comfortable.”_

  
_“Well, that’s awfully kind of you.” Then, I realize this legendary stranger has finally opened his mouth for the first time.“Oh! So you can speak!”_

  
_“Sometimes. It’s easier in private.”_

  
_“Right, right.” I let my fountain pen gently hit the desk, and I turn my chair around to face him. “Then I might as well lay them out now.”_

  
_He sits patiently, waiting for me to start. I clear my throat a little, moving forwards and moving up my shoulders._

  
_“First of all, you are not to address me as ‘Princess’ in private. Ever.”_

  
_“Why is that?”_

  
_“It may be hard for you to understand, but I hate being called a princess.”_

  
_“I see.”_

  
_“Good. Secondly, it’s not strongly a rule, but I’d like you to address me as Zai in private as well.”_

  
_“Do you not like bearing the title of royalty?”_

  
_“It’s not specifically that. Did my Father not tell you?”_

  
_“Tell me what?”_

  
_I suck in a deep breath. Hylia damn it. Of course he wouldn’t._

  
_“No matter what my father says, I am a_ man _, not a woman.”_

  
_He’s silent for a few moments. It’s worrying. Did I break him?_

  
_“Oh, I see.” He isn’t puzzled, but a dark look spreads over his face._

  
_“Let me guess, you’re going to ask if I’m really a guy or not.”_

  
_“Maybe.”_

  
_“Well, I am. Completely. But I guess if you don’t have a_ Princess _Zelda, then the kingdom’s screwed.”_

  
_“Is that what the King says?”_

  
_“It is.”_

  
_“I see, then.”_

  
_“And thirdly…” I fiddle with my hands in my lap. “You are not to betray me, do you understand?”_

  
_“What do you define as betrayal?”_

  
_“Never give me up to monsters. Never run away like a coward. Never lie to me about anything. Never intentionally mislead me.”_

  
_“Why would I do that?”_

  
_“Because someone’s always done that.”_

  
_“Hurt you?”_

  
_“Yes.”_

  
_He reaches out his hand, pulling one of mine from my lap._

  
_“Then yes, I promise. I’ll never betray you, your highness.” A soft kiss, pressed to my hand._

  
_“Uh… um… fourth, please stop doing that.” Though I mean to sound authoritative, I feel like I’ve been suckerpunched in the stomach. Or right below the lungs._  
_He quickly drops my hand. “Do you not-”_

  
_“I’m sorry, I’m just… awfully nervous. I should be bowing down before you, to be perfectly honest. You’re the great hero of legend, and I-”_  
_“And you’re the Princess- Sorry, I mean Prince- of Hyrule. You’re royalty.”_

  
_“Well, you’ve probably saved the world more times than I have.” At my dark mood, he laughs._

  
_“Oh no. Sorry, your highness! I didn’t-” But then I’m laughing as well. His face is beautiful when he laughs. Something about it is so pure and happy._  
_I always assumed that I’d never laugh again, ever since Mother died, but now… Now I feel warmth in my stomach, and no tears on the brink of my eyes._  
_Happiness is a rare commodity, but with Link, it is abundant as the grass is green and the water in Lake Hylia._

  
\---

  
When I awake, it’s with a fuzzy head bordering just on the edge of pain. There’s a cup of water on the side table, and a note beside it in wavy handwriting. It almost looks like Gerudo, but there’s the distinction of the universal language in it.  


_Zai,_  
_At the time you read this, please go up to the meeting room, there is something we must discuss between you, I, and my mother._  
_-Ganondorf_

  
Suddenly, a cold pit forms in my stomach. And after such a nice dream, too. Some little bubbles float up from last night, and one shell overturned makes bile rise in my stomach.

  
I told him.

  
I told him the one thing I promised myself I’d never mention again. So much easier to pretend that it was a bad dream, that I was only imagining things. But everything was real, and I have to deal with it. Terrible though it may seem, I was really trapped in that stone castle, surrounded by walls that echoed my screams of frustration, my wails of grief. With resignation, I pull on my armor and head out. They’ll definitely kick me out now. Worse, they may turn me in to the emissaries. That’d be just swell, wouldn’t it? And how happy they’ll be, to receive their traitorous _Princess_.

  
Trudging down the hall, I come up to the staircase, climbing it without second thought. When I get up there, Ganondorf and Yusha are sitting at the table, yet without dark looks on their faces. They’re mad at me. I lied. I lied, and it was something that could have gotten them in trouble. I shouldn’t be here. I should just go, maybe up to the Gerudo Highlands where I can freeze and nobody will mind-  
“Zelda?”

  
Why’s dad speaking with such a warm voice? Why does he sound so concerned? He’s never concerned about me. It’s always prayer, reading, or doing something that will keep me indoors. And why am I on the floor? It’s nice and cool. My forehead feels way too warm. Am I crying? My eyes feel wet. I’m embarrassing myself again, aren’t I? I’m always an embarrassment.

  
“Zai, please, look up at me.”

  
A warm voice calls me up, alongside fingers more like logs than sticks. Those fingers guide me up to look at Ganon’s face. His eyes are narrowed, but not upset. Concern. Concentration. I’m terrible. He’s so worried… And I caused this…

  
“Zai, listen to me. Everything is fine. You’re not in trouble, not in the slightest.”

  
“I…”

  
“Shh…” Why isn’t he chiding me? I lied. Lying means that you have to spend five hours in the chapel, praying. Why didn’t I just go down there instead?

  
He pulls me into his arms, and instead of looking into anyone else’s face, I bury mine in his shoulder. I can fit my entire face on his shoulder. This man is an absolute unit. A hand runs through my hair, comforting and warm.

  
“It’s alright. Take a deep breath…” His chest fills, a soothing rhythm. “Just copy me, alright?”

  
After a few more minutes of deep breaths, I can finally calm down.

  
“There you go. Now, please, it’s only me and Yusha.” He helps me to my feet, a steady around my shoulders to keep me up. Instead of being angry as I’d expect her, Yusha is standing right in front of us, a worried look troubling her features. The scars on her face are more noticeable, the skin around them white with pressure.

  
“Zai, what happened?”

  
“I… I don’t really…” But Ganon simply lifts a hand, stopping me.

  
“It’s alright. You don’t have to answer.”

  
“But I have to. Lying is…” I take a breath, trying to dissolve that awful knot in my throat. “Lying is… unforgivable.”

  
“It’s not as unforgivable as you might assume.” Yusha runs a hand through my hair, in a motherly sort of way that makes my chest feel stabbed through. Always so kind, with those clever eyes and proper way of speaking. “Some people have good reasons for doing so, and I would bet that’s the same with you.”

  
“But…”

  
“And you didn’t lie. It was merely omission and a play of words. But firstly, we have to speak about what you’ve told my son. I just need to understand a few things.”  
Instead of standing awkwardly, our little trio takes a seat and Yusha turns her chair around, resting her arms and chin on the back of it.

  
“So, first of all, what’s your story here?”

  
“I…”

  
A comforting hand pats a my back. When I look up, Ganon’s face is stone. Yet, he still makes sure I’m alright.

  
“Well… it all began when I was born. My parents were hoping for a girl, as it has been proven time and time again that an ancient evil will be reborn every one-hundred years. So as it neared the time, my father knew that both a hero and princess would have to seal the darkness once more. And keep in mind, the legend specified ‘princess’, not ‘royal child’. It’s always a princess.”

  
“And so you were born a boy.”

  
“I was. And I am one, don’t mistake me. But while my father was furious to have a son when he needed a daughter, my mother treasured me. She tried to stop my father from controlling me, but it never worked. So I was raised as the legendary _Princess_  Zelda.”

  
Somehow, curling up was comforting. The room had gone deathly cold, like a morgue. Mother’s morgue. Her body, dead from something the doctors could never place. Her eyes were open… lips still shining…

  
“Zai, take a deep breath.”

  
I complied, feeling the air rush back into my lungs. “Either way… I… the other children thought I was a freak. The boys would tease me and the girls would exclude me. I never fit in. Mother was the only one who… who ever took the time out of her day to pay attention to me.”

  
Father’s gaze, completely unshaken by Mother’s death. He never cared, did he? She was always the means to an end for him. Always just meant to provide heirs. They never spent time together, though Mother always told me they had a fairytale romance before he became fearful of the impending calamity. Yet now, this man she had once loved was just watching. Watching me bawl my eyes out, nose running, throat tight, hands holding onto her cold ones. He didn’t even shed a single tear.

  
“Father had an idea of what I was supposed… I’m sorry, I just…” A tear ran down my cheek, then another. Before I knew it, I was crying again. Chest heaving, palms pressed into my eyes. Thinking of mother’s body, in that morgue, all alone when I was only thirteen. Father never spoke of her again. But I did. I kept mourning her, quietly in my heart. And from that bitterness in my heart came malice. Malice that wanted him dead. Wanted him to suffer for what happened to Mother. It was only that fateful day, a year after Mother’s death that I found someone else who cared about me. That handsome hero, like a deus ex machina, came with his noble steed and beautiful kindness.

  
I think he was the last person I trusted before now. But you can’t easily cry in front of people you don’t trust. Yusha gets up from her chair, coming forwards and wrapping her arms around me.

  
“It’s alright. Everything is fine now. You don’t have to go back.”

  
“Are… are you…” I hiccup, then bury my face in her shoulder. “I…”

  
“Shh. Don’t strain yourself. There will come a day when you are ready to talk about everything. If that day never comes, I will at least know you’re dealing with it in your own way.”

  
Another hand pats my head, tousling hair. “Even though we’ve only known you for a few weeks, I can tell that you’re strong. It takes great courage to speak of something that’s hurt you, especially as deeply as what you’ve felt.”

  
We sit like that for a few moments, just being held in their arms.

  
“Just to clarify something…” She pulls away, sitting back down. “Your father is Cornelius Favor Aelius Hyrule, right?”

  
“Yes. I mean, there aren’t really any other hylian kingdoms in the area.”

  
“True, true. And your given name is Zelda, yes?”

  
“It is. But I still prefer Zai.”

  
She nods, seeming to store the information for later.

  
“As of right now, I don’t see it as necessary to tell other members of the household this news. It would cause panic, and a few of our family members are loose-lipped when drunk. Something could slip to the emissaries, which would… solve their mission.”

  
It’s unspoken, but solving the mission certainly spells out one thing. I would be forced to go back home.

  
\---

  
Nothing much changes over the past few days. The emissaries are still gathering information, questioning locals, and doing permitted searches of the city. Quite a few have learned how to deal with the heat, and the others are still recovering in the infirmary. I can imagine they’ll all be given cooling potions for the journey back.

  
Though the current situation hasn’t changed, something else did. For one, Yusha has been holding to me fast, like sticky molasses. Always claiming that I “deserve a hug” or “look a little sad”. It’s a very welcome change, as I’ve missed being hugged by a mother for a very long time. Though there are customary pats on the back, shoulder, or head, hugs were few and far between. The others have joined in, Ishar and Natalie always calling it “hugging _salvet_  time”. Yusha always laughs at the statement, though she’ll never explain why it’s so funny. Probably a cultural thing. And asking someone what _salvet_  means gets me a round of giggles.

  
However, as Yusha has pulled closer, Ganon has pushed himself away. Instead of sitting beside me at dinner, he’ll sit in the middle of his sisters (half of the palace, but there’s always a cluster of them somewhere). When I talk to him, his answers are curt and he seems to be trying to answer with as few words as possible. Even Yusha can’t explain the change, and as much as I’d like to believe it isn’t me, the little voice in my head keeps saying otherwise.

  
_He was just putting up with you because you were just an ordinary hylian_ ,it mutters.  _And now you’re a princess? He’s probably decided that you’re much more trouble than you’re worth._

  
No I’m not. I’m not trouble. Though I was planning on leaving eventually, something about this place has me hooked. Maybe it’s how the royal family here treats me kindly. Maybe it’s the beautiful scenery. I’ve gone back to the rock near the molduga just to watch the sunset again, or climb up the aqueducts to see the wide expanse of yellow and white. Or the food. Endless durians, voltfruits, and other amazing delicacies on top of that. But the emissaries are blissfully unaware that I’m right under their noses. Lucky me. But Ganon grows ever further from me, and I’m stuck playing hide and seek once again. Maybe it’s just to talk about whatever caused the situation. Maybe it’s just to see what’s going on with him. Either way, he’s intentionally avoiding me. It’s pretty hard to not to see that when he sees me coming down the hall and turns the other way, or off in a different direction. And then almost vanishes in an instant. Either way, it’s annoying when your only guy friend decides to run off and abandon you to the pack of wolves that keep asking me questions about Gerudo life.

  
Maybe that’s why he’s running away: All the emissaries keep following me around. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame him. They’re all a bunch of female guards, the kind that were tasked with my protection. I’d bet most of them were the girls that excluded me when I was younger. But even though it’s bothersome, they obviously see me as a handsome hylian man in the middle of a boring work trip.

  
Definitely wolves.

  
However, my patience wears thin one day, and I snap at them. They all manage to get the message, and leave me alone. So once again, I’m wandering the halls again, hoping to catch sight of Ganon.

  
It’s only then that I get the obvious idea of checking that office again. The door’s open, but he isn’t in there. So I set myself up for waiting in one of the chairs. It takes a little while, but he eventually comes in, not noticing me at first. Though, when he does, he almost drops his glass of water.

  
“Well?”

  
“Well what?”

  
“Are you going to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me?”

  
“Avoiding you? I haven’t-”

  
I fix him a with a glare, and he flinches.

  
“I don’t like lies, and I don’t like being lied to.”

  
“Okay, okay.” He raises his hands in protest, then sits down.

  
“So, are you going to explain?”

  
He nods, taking a drink of the water. “Yes, just a minute. I should put these papers away.” Drawers open and close, possibly slammed a little harder than they should be. But hey, I walked right into the lion’s den, so I ought to deal with it. I find myself spacing out, yet jerked back to reality with a cleared throat.

  
“Oh! Sorry!”

  
“No, no, it’s fine.”

  
Another awkward silence.

  
“So…”

  
“Ah, yes, right… Um… Sorry, it’s hard to explain…”

  
“Can you try?”

  
“I mean, I can, but…” He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well… okay, you know the legend of the Gerudo King, right?”

  
“Sort of.”

  
“Well, every one hundred years, a Gerudo man is born. That’s me. And you’re… technically the Princess of Hyrule.”

  
“So?”

  
He presses a hand to his temples. “So, I feel like if I’m near you, I’ll just… trigger something. I know I’m not evil, but I don’t really know what causes it!”

  
Well, I can’t really blame him. But being honest, that’s kinda… stupid. As far as people go, Ganon might be the best person I’ve known. Though I have heard inklings of Demise’s curse, and read tidbits of it in the Gerudo books, I doubt such a thing can be activated by pieces of the triforce merely being in contact with each other. Then again, the birthmark on my hand has been glowing brighter than usual.

  
Oh, right, the birthmark. Never mentioned, but always there. It’s so easy to forget about, but never gone, really. I only really notice it at night, the three triangles in pyramid glowing with a strange yellow. It used to be so dim that it looked to only shimmer, but now it can light up my face like a candle. I wonder if the same can be said for Ganon. It would be interesting.

  
“Do you have it as well?”

  
“Huh?”

  
“The mark?”

  
He sighs, messing with some bandages over his right hand that I never really noticed before. He has nice hands, with red hair on the strong knuckles. One of them could feasibly cover my face. Charming. When they land in the other hand, he turns the previously bandaged one over to show me the top. And there it is, the tell-tale sign of a triforce bearer. Instead of the bottom-left triangle being filled, like mine, the top of the pyramid is lit up brightly with gold light.

  
“Beautiful…” I whisper, eyes drawn to the light like a moth to flame.

  
“A little, I guess. But this mark has a very different connotation to us Gerudo than the hylians have to their princess and hero.”

  
“Oh, right.” It’s obvious why Ganon would dislike this mark of his. After all…

  
It is Demise’s curse, and not Hylia’s blessing. In all sense of the curse, Ganon is doomed by default.


End file.
